Here's a collection of responses directly from line pilots concerning just
how they handle a crosswind landing in the Airbus. Please feel free to add
your own rendition. Just jot it down in an Email and send it my way. I'll
post it anonymously to share with the group ...

We must remember that the Airbus Flight Control system is based on
"rate inputs". The wing will always look at the last bank angle
and will try to return to that point, you may not see the input by the
flight controls, but it is being provided.

So, if you are rocking
down on final due to gusty winds, or for that reason on the final portion
of the flare. Should you apply correction in the opposite direction of
where the wing is coming up, because of the gust, then you are adding more
input to the Flight Controls computer's, reacting to bring the wing to the
last known position with a bigger input increment (you have just Augmented
that input), which will then force you to react in the opposite direction
with more sidestick deflection. Hence, the feeling that you are running
out of control deflections in the sidestick, you are just inducing a P-CIO
(Pilot-Computer Induced Oscillations).

If you were to have a
direct right crosswind of 29 knots, fly the aircraft, don't mind the gust
(unless it is hurricane David), around 50 feet, start kicking your left
rudder (and power as necessary), and as the left wing tries to come up
(due to the Aerodynamics of the rudder inputs attempting to bring the
right wing up), put the necessary right joystick (squirts) input and let
go, squirt and let go, as necessary to keep the nose of the aircraft
tracking down the centerline while adding rudder as necessary, then once
the aircraft is tracking where you want him to, relax the bank inputs on
the joystick, just work with the pitch for the flare and round out.

Touch down with the right
main gear, right spoilers deflect, fly the left wing down nice and easy,
while relaxing ruder input and squirting the bank inputs as needed... It
is exhilarating and a great aircraft

Do not hold the side
stick input, just let it go... Give it the bank squirts inputs required to
work the gust with just minor inputs to keep the wing down as you increase
rudder for that amount of gust. The wing, will stay down, because the
system recognizes that point to be the new wings level position requested
by you... In this manner, you can maintain right wing down, for as much as
it is needed to keep the nose tracking on centerline. Of course, you can
land in a 45 knot crosswind with this aircraft, should you need to, but I
don't know how much bank would require to scrape a wingtip with the struts
compressed and vice versa.

There is a confidence
builder exercise I use when fellow pilots have doubts on what I just
mentioned. With flaps 3, gear down, out by the marker or before while on
the ILS GS Path, "VFR". The ECAM page will be on the brakes and
gear page, below on the bottom of that page, it shows flight spoilers and
ground spoilers deflection, because that is the page you will look for the
ground spoiler's and the PNF call outs of "Spoilers" and
"Two Reverser's" etc.

Disconnect the autopilot
and start a very slow rudder deflection (it will not be felt in the back,
just don't be abrupt), while keeping the wings level with just small
sidestick bank inputs, as required to keep the wings level, keep
increasing rudder input slowly, and watch the flight spoilers on the
opposite side of rudder input (i.e. right rudder, left wing), watch them
come up and stay there, even when you are not providing left sidestick
inputs. The computers are now telling the wing to stay wings level, but
the rudder deflection is causing the flight spoilers to come up for that
purpose.

You are doing this at
approach speed, just like you would in the flare to keep the nose tracking
down the centerline, so there are no side loads exceedances to the
airframe or tail while performing this mild maneuver, this is exactly the
same as de-crabbing for landing, but you can see the results way out
there...Just don't be abrupt with the rudders, do it gentle, avoid any
PIO's.

Initially, it will be a
conscious effort, but with a few good crosswinds, you will automatically
perform the maneuver in the worst case of crosswinds. The aircraft is an
excellent crosswind lander, it is great design, and I do not, by any means
intend to brag about this, just wish you confidence in the system.

This is something that
should be shown to any new pilot, by the training department, in the
simulator, or during the IOE. I see many guys out there still having
difficulty, because they do not understand what the Flight Control
Computers are inputting to the flight control surfaces... "Rated
Inputs".

I've always been a fan of
introducing a slip on short final, about 100 ft or so. It didn't work as
well on the bus, as evidenced by more touchdowns with the stick at the aft
stop than I care to admit to. This is probably due to a couple of factors.
First, the approach speeds on the bus are closer to 1.3 Vso than I used on
other airplanes and second, the timing and rate of thrust changes by the
auto thrust usually seems like too little too late when it's bumping and
blowing.

Method #1:
CONF 3 when crosswind exceeds 10 kts.
Approach speed:
Vls+10 on PERF page when crosswind exceeds 10 kts.
Vls+15 on PERF page when crosswind exceed 20 kts and GW >130,000#.
Don't flare too high, 15-20 ft. Reduce thrust to idle just prior to flare
if light, during flare if heavy, later if you get that sinking feeling.
Simultaneously remove crab, lower the upwind wing a bit, and flare. If
that doesn't work, see method #2.
Method #2:
Using your peripheral vision, react to body movements, gasps, groans, and
shouts from the other side of the cockpit, and always remember that it's
better to be lucky than good.

I do not find crosswinds
to be anymore challenging in this airplane than any other. You have to
understand that you cannot "slip" this airplane because your are
commanding a ROLL RATE with the Side Stick Controller, not a BANK ANGLE.
Here is a suggestion: Allow the airplane to do an Auto Land in a crosswind
when it is convenient, and VFR. You will be shocked at the timing of when
the airplane leaves the CRAB and applies rudder to align the nose parallel
with the runway. You think it just isn't going to do it, and at the very
last second, it slides it in perfectly. I would guess in the last 20 feet
or less. My technique is just the same as any airplane I've ever flown.
C-150 to B-767. Crab it down to the flare, apply enough rudder to
straighten the nose, drop the up-wind wing to prevent drift, land on the
up-wind main first. The Airbus will only use 1/2 Speed brake upon the 1st
main gear touchdown, then full Speed brake after the 2nd gear is down.
This is a characteristic, unlike Boeing or Douglas, that will aid you to
make a smooth landing in a crosswind, rather than slamming the 2nd main on
the ground after full deployment of the Speed brakes that occurs on other
aircraft. 5-Year Airbus Captain.

As we know the
ailerons remain in "Roll Rate" all the way to touchdown, so, On
final with a crab into the wind, maintain the crab until you are crossing
the threshold and about ready to begin the flare (Only about a 2-3 degree
change in pitch attitude on a "good day" - no crosswind - just
enough to see the sight picture change enough to tell that you have
checked your rate of descent. - When it's windy, you definitely don't want
to get the nose up into the air on landing and become a "kite",
as with any airplane in a good crosswind you probably want to be a little
flatter on touchdown, than if there was no wind. As you begin to take the
crab out with opposite rudder, then you have to input lateral sidestick to
keep the aircraft from sliding across the centerline. Keep the nose
pointed down the center of the runway using the rudders and use the
sidestick in the following way. As I go through 100 to 50 feet I glance at
my airspeed to see what the "Speed Trend Arrow" is indicating.
If my speed is decaying - I'm already on the back side of the power curve
- the last thing I am going to do is saw off the power at 50'. It will be
smooth and gradual but making sure that I don't touchdown with any power
ON at all - during any landing you don't want to hear the engines
increasing while you are trying to touchdown because the Autothrust is
trying to maintain your Vapp and you had decayed below that to a point it
is trying to increase airspeed to achieve your original Vapp. The actual
crosswind maneuver is to break you descent and as the aircraft descends
through 50' and the "Flare" mode is induced you will have to
increase slight aft sidestick pressure to "maintain" that sight
picture until touchdown - all while "Bumping the sidestick
laterally" to input a little upwind aileron to keep the aircraft from
drifting across the centerline and enough in stronger winds to touchdown
with the upwind mains first. Not enough? Bump it some more - but DON'T put
lateral input in and HOLD it - because you are only increasing the roll
rate the whole time and could result in a firm touchdown or >16 degrees
of bank angle could result in a wingtip or engine pylon. I always use the
term "Bump and back to center, bump and back to center". The
sight picture during every landing as you descend through 50' (Flare Mode)
and automatic nose down trim can be compared to landing a Boeing, Douglas,
or a Cub in that as speed decays you have to increase control surface
displacement in order to "Maintain" the attitude ("sight
picture" at touchdown: 6 - 7.5 degrees on the 319/320). Oh yeah -
What's a Boeing? The concern that I have on every landing especially in
windy, gusty conditions is that with sidestick control on the Airbus is;
you don't see input - you only see reaction. Bottom line - It's still an
airplane, don't give up on it and fly it all the way to the gate!

I haven't had too
much trouble with X-wind landings, with the understanding that they are
frequently more firmly "planted" on the runway than some of my
other landings! First of all, with a strong x-wind, unless I'm going into
a relatively short (for the weight, conditions, etc.) runway where
performance is a primary factor, I usually go into the PERF Page (Approach
phase) and add about 3 knots to the final approach speed. (Yea, I know.
This is totally unapproved and grounds for a reprimand, but it does help,
so I do it anyway.) I fly down final using a crab and without trying to
balance the crab with a side-slip. Somewhere between 50 and a 100 feet
above the ground, depending on the degree of crab, I slowly bring the nose
to the centerline with the rudder, holding only absolute minimum aileron
stick pressure into the wind, since roll response is exaggerated by the
spoiler activation.) In any strong wind, regardless of direction, I
usually opt for a CONF 3 landing, performance (with an adequate cushion!)
permitting. And if the winds are quite gusty, I may well turn off the
autothrottles around 500 feet, assuming a stable approach, (don't forget
to "match before mashing") and land with manual throttles, thus
avoiding those darn things coming up to almost max power at just the wrong
moment! (Again, my hands should be slapped!) The autothrottles are still
my least favorite of the Airbus automated systems!

In my opinion, the
easiest way to land this plane, including in a crosswind, is to close the
throttles at the 30 ft call, wait, wait some more, then raise the nose
around 1-2 degrees, simultaneously lowering the upwind wing slightly and
applying opposite rudder (as in any airplane) to align the nose straight
down the runway, and just as soon as the nose reaches that 1-2 degree
point start relaxing back pressure, maybe even push slightly if need be,
and roll it on. Works beautifully with essentially the same flare point
for all models of the AB, including 3 degree flap landings. What you are
simulating is how the autoland lands the airplane, and it does a very good
job at it. The advantage to this technique is that you will never get a
"Retard" call, thus will not have power on as you float down the
runway, and you will always put it down in the touchdown zone as what you
are doing is really coming right down the glideslope, breaking the rate of
descent at about 10 ft, and rolling the airplane onto the runway with a
slight pushover. As to the crosswind, since you are in the actual flare
mode for a very short period of time, drift is nil and all you have to
really do is kick the nose over in alignment with the centerline of the
runway with very little upwind down wing. You may need to be a little
aggressive with the rudder pressure here, though, because you don't have a
lot of time left before touchdown if you are in a really high crosswind.
Really works great, and after 3 1/2 years on the AB I'm actually looking
forward to the landings for a change. The technique was shown to me rather
recently by a Check Airman who told me that he had been working on it for
several years to get it right. When you start doing it, you will swear
that you are about to drive it into the pavement before you start to
flare, but be brave, press on, and remember to release the back pressure
just before you touch. On a final note, if it's a gusty wind condition, go
Flaps 3 and Vls + 10 (windshear option, up to +15) and give yourself some
maneuverability. This airplane can run out of controllability in gusty,
turbulent, windy conditions, and you'll swear that the sidestick
fly-by-wire is just not up to the job, especially with full flaps. My
opinion is that this airplane simply likes to fly with it's high lift
wing, and thus tends to rock and roll in these conditions making it simply
sluggish in it's response even to full sidestick deflection, which, when
it finally does respond, then requires full deflection in the opposite
direction! Flaps 3 with an approach speed additive really helps.

Let the a/c fly in the crab until the 50' call, "laws" have
changed and you can straighten out the nose with the rudder and begin to
use the ailerons, roll or no roll. Normal instincts will dictate how much
and how long you use the ailerons. Use them as necessary, do not let the
plane slide off centerline by not using ailerons. Works for me on the 319,
320, 321 and 330. 1400+ on the 320 series and 700+ on the big guy.

My first IOE crosswind
landing in the BUS was a disaster. I was fixated on trying to take the
crab out during the flare. As a result I forgot to check the descent rate
resulting in a FIRM landing. I spent five years flying T-38's in the Air
Force. The technique in the T-38 is to simply land in the crab then make
directional corrections with the rudder on you rollout. It works on the
BUS, and I've had no problems with x-wind landings since that first
embarrassment.

I had a hair raising
experience going into ROC on one of my first AB trips. Winds gusting 50
kts straight down 28, but 22 was longer. I still had the MD-80 mentality
... Went for the longer runway ...Added extra speed, didn't pull the power
off, and "stirred the pot" with the stick instead of bumping it
and letting go. Didn't know if the engine, wingtip, or nose was going to
hit first. My F/O was white as a ghost, and I couldn't stop shaking for
the next half hour. In retrospect, I should have gone around!Now I still use the
basics with a slight modification ... Wing into the wind to hold it
laterally, although I bump the stick vs. move and hold it. Keep the nose
pointing straight with the rudder. And chop that damn power as I flare! I
very seldom increase Vref either, otherwise it floats. Unlike most, I
trust the GS Mini.

1) You can't fly this
thing from the marker to the runway cross controlled like a normal
airplane if that's your style. So quit trying.
2) Keep an eye on your
managed speed pink triangle. Vls+5 knots leaves you very little energy to
mess around with at the runway. Vls+8 or 10 seems to be more comfortable.
3) Stay in a crab right
up to the runway. Then at the last second, carefully kick out the crab and
lower the upwind wing to keep it going straight. (Cross-control seems to
work at this point) Many people don't seem to want to straighten out the
crab and touchdown in a crab. (Which I feel is not very good for the
airplane and it's tires)
4) In gusty crosswinds
remember to breath from 500 AGL to touchdown !

I have flown the Airbus
since October '99 (Capt) and have listened to all this cross wind landing
stuff through those years. I sat through and have been
"recurrent" trained all this time and simulated. I find that if
we never knew anything about alternate law, flare mode, direct law and all
the other info, we would never know this was not an airplane like any
other. I have never had a crosswind landing problem or even noticed the
bus being different. It is an airplane and a nice flying one at that. I
think pilots who have difficulty landing the Airbus in a crosswind would
have difficulty in any airplane in a crosswind.

It is a real airplane!In a crosswind, you put
the wing down and straighten it out with the rudder just like it should be
done in ALL airplanes! I can't believe how many airline pilots land an
airplane crooked in a crosswind. Land with the nose straight. The only way
to do that is cross control like you should have learned in primary
instruction.

It seems that the better
your stick and rudder skills are the more trouble you have landing the AB
in a crosswind. Over the years I've spoken to many pilots whose abilities
are as good as it gets and without exception they all agree on one thing.
"The damned thing can't be trusted." After two tours on this
thing I've come to the following conclusions. First if you can't beat it
learn from it. By that I mean watch how it handles a crosswind while
performing an auto-land. After all that's how the French ***** engineers
that designed this thing sold it at its certification. That being said the
aircraft will maintain a crab until rounding out for the flare. It then is
fairly aggressive with rudder to bring the nose around and will provide a
slight aileron input (bump don't hold) to slightly lower the wing.The problem with this
whole scenario is that if you are hand flying, due to the aggressive
auto-thrust you find yourself paired with a very poor student who is
causing you more hindrance than help. Therefore while flying a visual
approach in a strong X-wind I will disconnect the autopilot early to allow
myself a little time to get the fell of things along with staying just a
hair high on the glide slope to keep the auto-thrust changes to a minimum.
Finally if its really gusty and runway length is not a factor I've had
better luck with flaps 3 and increasing V-ref by a few knots but never
more than +5.Also due to the way your
feet sit on the pedals while performing this unnatural maneuver I strongly
recommend using auto-brakes (don't be afraid of medium) since without them
you will probably apply brakes to one side only, creating even more drama
on the rollout. Thanks for putting this out to the troops and can't wait
to see some of the techniques used by this very talented group of
aviators.

I've been on the 'bus a
little over a year and 1/2 now. I never did like the "recommended
technique" of waiting until the flare to correct for crosswinds.
They're afraid that you'll take the sidestick and hold constant pressure
on it correcting thus keeping some level of spoilers deployed. This is
what I've done from day one and it seems to work fine. About 500' AGL I
straighten the aircraft out with the rudder and just tap the sidestick a
couple of times to get the right amount of wing low established. The key
is to make sure you allow the sidestick to return to the neutral position
and the aircraft should then stay where you left if or just require minor
"taps" to adjust for varying winds. During my initial simulators
I request the max crosswinds for landing and tried this technique for the
first time. The check captain said that he'd never seen anyone do that
before but it worked with no problem.

I haven't had
problems with crosswind landings ... yet! I do it the way it was taught in
initial with full flaps. Flaps 3 doesn't seem to help enough to make it
worth the increase in speed and ground roll.

Ladies and Gentleman ...
Forget its a damn airbus and fly it like an airplane. Rudders work wonders
in a strong x wind ... What a concept ... Works good ...